Sport in London

It has been a fabulous fortnight and more. I have enjoyed every bit of these Games, not only savouring the athletic endeavours but also the grand venues, which provided an aura of magnificence to the entire extravaganza.

The bombastic London 2012 opening ceremony is continuing to cause many a wrinkled brow in international online lecture rooms, where a global army of sinologists are earnestly debating the differences between Danny Boyle's extravaganza and Zhang Yimou's jaw-dropper four years ago - more so after London mayor Boris Johnson said his city's curtainraiser had 'knocked spots off' Beijing 2008's first

Chelsea v Liverpool in tonight's FA Cup final has both a sense of the conventional and the unfamiliar. They are two of the most decorated clubs in the competition's long history and come from the Premier League's dominant big six, yet strangely enough this is the first time they have met in the final.

All eyes will be on London this summer as the British capital hosts the 2012 Olympic Games.

New hotels are under construction, with more than 4,500 extra rooms expected to be completed by July, and improved transport links and new facilities such as shopping malls, especially in east London, will benefit locals and visitors over the long term.

A month ago, when Manchester City led neighbours United by two points, it seemed inconceivable the English Premier League title race would be virtually decided by early April. What was a three-horse race, until Tottenham dropped away, now looks likely to turn into a triumphal procession for United.

'A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma' - Winston Churchill's famous quote about Russia's intentions in the second world war as easily applies now to the actions of Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch whose plan for Chelsea is far from clear.

Chelsea and Manchester United have dominated the English Premier League championship for so long that it seems strange only one of the teams are in the title hunt as they go into tomorrow's showdown at Stamford Bridge.

At the start of the season Arsenal v Manchester United would have been the pick of tomorrow's Super Sunday showdowns in the English Premier League, but such has been the shift in the balance of power that the more significant match is Manchester City v Tottenham.

The match-of-the-weekend focus switches from Manchester to London tonight as Chelsea host Arsenal in the latest clash between teams from the Premier League's big six, although it's not quite set up in the way most people would have expected at the start of the season.

Staging a large-scale multi-sports event like the Olympics costs billions of pounds and therefore promoting a legacy value is one of the best ways to convince taxpayers their money is being well-spent.